The Supreme Court has handed down a unanimous decision in favor of the NRA in a free speech showdown with a former New York financial regulator.
Thursday's ruling paves the way for the gun rights group to pursue its First Amendment lawsuit against Maria Vullo, who previously oversaw the New York Department of Financial Services.
The Hill reports:
Vullo began investigating the NRA in 2017, and the probe led her to encourage insurers and banks she regulated to sever ties with the gun rights group.
The NRA contended those steps went beyond permissible advocacy and crossed into unconstitutional government coercion, and Thursday's decision enables the case, which is still in a preliminary stage, to move forward in a lower court.
“Vullo was free to criticize the NRA and pursue the conceded violations of New York insurance law,” Sotomayor wrote.
“She could not wield her power, however, to threaten enforcement actions against DFS-regulated entities in order to punish or suppress the NRA's gun-promotion advocacy,” the opinion continued. “Because the complaint plausibly alleges that Vullo did just that, the Court holds that the NRA stated a First Amendment violation.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivered the unanimous opinion. You can read it in its entirety below:
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
READ NEXT: Watch: Idiot Films His Own Fatal Negligent Discharge While ‘Cornballing' With Pistol
